The present invention relates to connection assemblies and, more particularly, to power module connection assemblies and methods of using the same.
A power conversion device, such as a three phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS), may include multiple power conversion circuits or other electronics that may be included in a removable power module. For example, an online UPS may include a rectifier that is used to rectify an input AC voltage to generate a DC voltage and an inverter that generates an AC voltage from this DC voltage. The UPS may also include additional power conversion circuits, such as battery charger and/or converter circuits, that may be included in a removable power module or in a power cabinet in which the power module is received. Electrical connections generally must then be made between components in the installed power module and components in the power cabinet.
The electrical connections between the power module and the components in the power cabinet are typically high current connections. Accordingly, a reliable connection for handling such current loads should be provided and, generally, cooling is provided as the connecting pieces may be heated by flow of current during operation of the UPS. To provide for a reliable electrical connection, a high insertion force connector or a mechanical connector, such as a lug and bolt arrangement, is typically used for the connections between the power module and the components in the power cabinet.
The use of connectors, such as described above, may further increase the complexity of assembling the various connections within the power cabinet, particularly as a large number of such connections generally must be made, not all of which are conveniently located and accessible from a front face of the power cabinet. As such, power cabinets typically include multiple cables extending from an otherwise inaccessible component to the front face of the power cabinet where connections to cables extending from an installed power module may then be made. In addition to increasing the number of connection points, this approach may result in a more cluttered interior of the power cabinet due to the volume of cabling passing through the interior of the power cabinet.